Meet the Royal Family's Pets, from Meghan Markle's Rescue Dogs to Prince Edward's Tortoise

The Queen was inseparable from her dogs since she was just a little girl, playing with her family's pups before she was ready to look after her own. She got her first-ever corgi, Susan, as an 18th birthday present, and for decades, she cared for generations of Susan's descendants. Sadly, her final corgi in Susan's line, Willow, passed away in 2018. Willow was followed by Whisper, the Queen's final purebred corgi (though not related to Susan), and Vulcan, a dorgi (dachshund -corgi mix).

After Queen Elizabeth passed away, her son, Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, inherited Muick and Sandy, the Queen's last corgis.

When Meghan moved to the UK, she brought her Beagle, Guy, with her, and left her other dog, Bogart, with friends in Canada. Meghan and Prince Harry subsequently adopted a black Lab, Pula, named after Botswana's currency. (Harry and Meghan famously spent time in Botswana early in their relationship.) After moving to California, they adopted a 7-year old rescue beagle named Mamma Mia.

"I tell you what, we all need a dog that keeps us calm. I've got three in this house now. So, we basically have five children," Harry said in October 2022 of the family's three dogs. He continued, "I've got a black Labrador called Pula, a rescue beagle called Guy. And we got another rescue beagle called Mia. And between the three of them, they charge around chasing squirrels and causing all sorts of problems to us every single day. But they are also emotional, emotional support dogs 100% when they're behaving."

Princess Anne has been caring for English Bull Terriers for decades—a very on-brand breed of choice for the famously outdoorsy, no-frills royal.

Prince Edward and Sophie currently share their home with two dogs—a black Labrador and a Cocker Spaniel, whom Sophie's been seen walking around the Windsor Castle grounds—as well as a more unusual pet. Edward joked in a video call last summer that "we've also got a tortoise—who basically runs the house!" In April 2023, Sophie shared the tortoise's name is Marmite (!)

(Sadly, there aren't any photos of the dogs or the tortoise; in the image above, Sophie is meeting a friendly pup at a royal engagement.)

Princess Anne's daughter Zara and her husband Mike are often seen with their three dogs at equestrian events (Zara is an Olympic medal-winning eventing competitor). Their children, Mia, Lena, and Lucas are clearly very attached to the pups.